Connector and connector assembly allowing repeated insertion and removal of a wire

Abstract

A connector is disclosed. The connector has a housing and a conductive terminal disposed in the housing. The conductive terminal has a pair of resilient contact arms including a pair of clamping portions clamping a wire therebetween and a pair of releasing portions adapted to move the pair of resilient contact arms away from each other, each of the pair of resilient contact arms includes one clamping portion and one releasing portion disposed at a free end.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A connector, comprising:
 a housing; and 
 a conductive terminal disposed in the housing and having
 a first annular end portion at a first end of the conductive terminal through which a wire is inserted, 
 a pair of resilient contact arms including a pair of clamping portions clamping the wire therebetween and a pair of releasing portions adapted to move the pair of resilient contact arms away from each other, each of the pair of resilient contact arms including one clamping portion and one releasing portion disposed at a free end, and 
 a second annular end portion at a second end of the conductive terminal opposite the first end, an external releasing tool insertable through the second annular end portion and adapted to move the pair of resilient contact arms away from each other. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed of an insulative material. 
     
     
       3. The connector of  claim 2 , wherein the clamping portion and the releasing portion of one of the pair of resilient contact arms respectively face the clamping portion and the releasing portion of the other of the pair of resilient contact arms. 
     
     
       4. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein the releasing portion is formed as an arc-shaped portion at an upper side of the free end of each resilient contact arm. 
     
     
       5. The connector of  claim 4 , wherein the releasing portion curves toward an exterior of the conductive terminal. 
     
     
       6. The connector of  claim 5 , wherein the external releasing tool contacts the pair of releasing portions to move the pair of resilient contact arms away from each other. 
     
     
       7. The connector of  claim 6 , wherein the external releasing tool is a plate-shaped member. 
     
     
       8. The connector of  claim 6 , wherein the housing has a releasing passageway at a second end, the external releasing tool inserted through the releasing passageway. 
     
     
       9. The connector of  claim 8 , wherein the housing has a wire receiving passageway at an opposite first end, the wire inserted through the wire receiving passageway. 
     
     
       10. The connector of  claim 6 , wherein the clamping portion is formed as a curved portion at an opposite lower side of the free end of each resilient contact arm. 
     
     
       11. The connector of  claim 10 , wherein the clamping portion curves toward an interior of the conductive terminal. 
     
     
       12. The connector of  claim 11 , wherein the clamping portion punctures the wire to form an electrical connection with the wire. 
     
     
       13. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein each of the pair of resilient contact arms is attached to a side of the first annular end portion and extends toward aft the second end of the conductive terminal. 
     
     
       14. The connector of  claim 13 , wherein an end of the wire is disposed in the second annular end portion. 
     
     
       15. The connector of  claim 14 , wherein the conductive terminal has a first solder foot extending from a bottom of the first annular end portion in a direction away from the conductive terminal and a second solder foot extending from a bottom of the second annular end portion in a direction away from the conductive terminal. 
     
     
       16. The connector of  claim 15 , wherein the first solder foot and the second solder foot are soldered to pads of a circuit board. 
     
     
       17. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein the housing has a first side wall having a plurality of projections and an opposite second side wall having a plurality of connecting holes corresponding to the plurality of projections. 
     
     
       18. A connector assembly, comprising:
 a plurality of connectors each having
 a housing including a first side wall having at least one projection and an opposite second side wall having at least one complementary connecting hole corresponding to the projection, the projection of a first one of the connectors being insertable into the connecting hole of a second one of the connectors to attach the connectors side by side, and 
 a conductive terminal disposed in the housing and having a first annular end portion at a first end of the conductive terminal through which a wire is inserted, a pair of resilient contact arms including a pair of clamping portions clamping the wire therebetween and a pair of releasing portions adapted to move the pair of resilient contact arms away from each other, each of the pair of resilient contact arms including one clamping portion and one releasing portion disposed at a free end, and a second annular end portion at a second end of the conductive terminal opposite the first end, an external releasing tool insertable through the second annular end portion and adapted to move the pair of resilient contact arms away from each other.